The oldest Morris relative attending was 90-year-old Eugene Clark of Stockport. The youngest was 3-year-old Blake Connor of New London.

Dorothy Gilbert reported on all the activities at the park since the last reunion. A huge project is putting new siding on the big barn. She has written many grant requests and reported nearly enough has been received for the project to proceed.

Another project was replacing the window in the schoolhouse. Virgil Morris said he had plenty of old glass.

The family is thankful for the grants and the donations from family members toward all the causes for the park.

The summer enrichment students were at the park again this summer for hands-on projects. One of the projects, which was presented to the park, was a covered-wagon cutout with holes that people could put their faces through to have their photos taken.

The T-shirts, sweatshirts and caps ordered since the last family reunion have sold well and are now down to very limited sizes. A new order could be placed soon. All profits go to the maintenance of the park.

Patricia Morris Rose donated a pair of old glasses worn by Rex Morris’s wife Mary Thompson Morris. Ramona Clark donated a chalk holder used to draw the staff for music on the blackboard to the schoolhouse. The holder makes all five lines of the music staff in one swoop.

The Morris reunion is the first Sunday in August. The 2014 reunion will be Aug. 3.

All donations can be mailed to Dorothy Gilbert, 26916 Route J16, Stockport 52651.

The family said donations will be “greatly appreciated and wisely used.”

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BARNHART

The Barnhart family reunion was July 21 at Larry’s Barn in Batavia, where senior elder Clara Agnes Barnhart Swihart resides.

In Swihart’s reunion notice to family members she wrote, “Today we’ll be meeting & greeting our kin folk just as we did ‘forty-five’ years ago at the park in Garden Grove, Iowa (and later Mt Ayr, Iowa). I’m so pleased that I can still be here to join all of you in a blessed reunion, sitting and sharing our noon day meal together. We have always had such a bountiful mixture of wonderful food. Please enjoy your day with the Barnhart Clan, Love & Prayers — Clara Agnes (Barnhart) Swihart.”

The family said this year’s reunion was exceptional because, in addition to the 54 in attendance, there also were seven dogs of various shapes and sizes. Another extraordinary event was a downpour of much-needed rain that everyone was happy to see. The children splashed in mud puddles and played on riding toys provided by Larry Wilson. In 45 years of gathering, primarily on the third Sunday in July, this was the first rainfall recalled in the afternoon. However, there was plenty of time for the meal before the rain arrived. Robert Barnhart, grandson of Clarence Edward, oldest brother of Clara Swihart, provided the noonday prayer.

Those in attendance were: Clara Agnes Swihart, Swihart’s daughter Joyce Perkins and son Larry Swihart, Donna Wilson and Nelson White, all of Batavia.

From Ottumwa, were Paul and Dixie Mooney and Fred and Mark Cavin. Larry Wilson Jr., Mary Hartman, son Daniel Hartman and friend Brittany Harris came from Barnes City.

From Pella, were Dave, Denise and son Brandon Beyer while Robert Barnhart, wife Shari, sons Bailey and Boston, Ashley Wilson and daughter Shelby Jade, Aaron Wilson, Roxi and father John Shank came from Oskaloosa.

From southwest Iowa, Elaine Barnhart Bolinger, the daughter of Clara Swihart’s brother Cliff, and friend Mark Cade came from Sharpsburg, while Sandy White, the daughter of Clara Swihart’s younger brother Ralph, daughter Becky McAlexander, and grandchildren Braxton Dean and 7-week-old Kenzington Marie came from Deep Water and Ellston.

Derric and Alayna Wilson and children Airallynn, Kehtyn, Eastynn, Emmalynn came from Las Vegas, Nev.